Assembly for correcting laser illumination emitted from a laser light source and method for producing said assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for correcting laser illumination emitted from a laser light source, comprising a laser light source, which has linear emission sources that are arranged in a row in a first direction (X), whereby in addition, the emission sources that are arranged essentially in a row are at least partially offset relative to the row in a perpendicular direction (Y) in relation to the first direction (X). The assembly also comprises corrective elements, which can correct the laser illumination emitted from the laser light source in such a way that the spatial distortion of the laser illumination, caused by the offset position of the emission sources relative to the row, is compensated. According to the invention, the corrective elements are configured as a plate array that comprises a number of plate elements consisting of substantially plane-parallel plates that are transparent to the laser illumination used. At least two of the plate elements have a different thickness and the corrective mans is located in the laser illumination emitted from the laser light source, in such a way that the light beams emitted from at least two emission sources that are offset in relation to one another are subjected to a respective beam offset of a different magnitude by two different plate elements, thus compensating the distortion caused by the offset position of the emission sources. The invention also relates to a method for producing the aforementioned assembly.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to an arrangement for correction of laser radiation emanating from a laser light source, including a laser light source which has linear emission sources which are located essentially in at least one row in a first direction, furthermore the emission sources located essentially in a row being offset in the direction perpendicular to the first direction at least partially to the row, and the arrangement furthermore having correction means which can correct the laser radiation emanating from the laser light source such that the three-dimensional distortion of the laser radiation caused by the offsetting of the emission sources to the row is equalized. Furthermore this invention relates to a process for producing this arrangement.[0002]An arrangement and a process of the initially mentioned type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,759. In the arrangement described, the so-called “smile” distortion, which generally occurs in laser di...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]There is provided, correction means that are made as a prism array. One such prism array can be produced more easily than the bent glass fiber known from the existing art.

[0007]There is provided correction means that are made as a plate array and the plate array includes a number of plate elements which are made of plane-parallel plates which are transparent to the laser radiation used, at least two of the plate elements having a different thickness and the correction means being located in the laser radiation emanating from the laser light source such that the light beams emanating from at least two emission sources which are offset to one another experience beam offset of different intensity by two different plate elements so that the distortion caused by the offset of these emission sources is equalized. This plate array can also be produced more easily than the optical fibers known from the existing art.

[0011]In order to convert the laser radiation which has been focused after passage through the cylinder lens or cylinder lens-like lens and through the plate array back into radiation parallel with respect to the fast axis, on the side of the correction means made as a plate array facing away from the cylinder lens or cylinder lens-like lens there can be a concave lens which refracts the laser radiation focused with respect to the direction perpendicular to the first direction such that this laser radiation which is essentially parallel with respect to the direction which is perpendicular to the first direction emerges from the concave lens. This then parallel laser radiation can be more easily processed, especially can be imaged onto a glass fiber.

[0012]It can be considered especially advantageous in the aforementioned arrangements that the laser light source can be applied to a cooling device before analysis of the laser radiation. Generally, in laser diode bars, by screwing onto a cooling device which is made for example as a copper plate the “smile” distortion is first produced or enlarged. The arrangement and the process for producing the arrangement enable analysis and correction of the “smile” distortion after finished mounting on the laser diode bar on a cooling device. The arrangement also corrects the distortions which are formed first by the installation of the laser diode bar.

Problems solved by technology

In this arrangement, which is known from the art, it has been found to be especially disadvantageous that the instrument used for bending the glass fibers has a relatively complex structure, because the glass fibers at some points must be deliberately bent by only a few microns or fractions of microns relative to other points.

The disadvantage here is that on the one hand for each of these plane-parallel plates according to the vertical offset of the assigned emission center of the laser diode bar an exact tilting angle relative to the optical axis must be set.

On the other hand, it can be considered especially disadvantageous that this angle must be selected to be exceedingly exact as a result of the beam offset which is to be very exactly implemented.

This can be done under certain circumstances only with very high cost.

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